Stress - What is it?
Although we all talk about stress, often it isn't clear what stress really is. Many people consider stress to be something that happens to them, such as an injury or a promotion. Others think stress is what happens to our body’s minds and behaviours in response to an event (e.g. heart pounding, anxiety, or nail biting).Unexpected events or unanticipated change can produce a stress response. While stress does involve events and our response to them, these are not the most important factors. Our thoughts about the situations in which we find ourselves are the key factor.
When something happens to us, we automatically evaluate the situation mentally. We decide if it is threatening to us, how we need to deal with the situation, and what skills we can use. If we think the demands of the situation outweigh the skills we have, then we label the situation as "stressful" and react with the classic "stress response." If we believe that our coping skills outweigh the demands of the situation, then we don't see it as "stressful".
Everyone sees situations differently and has different coping skills. For this reason, no two people will respond exactly the same way to a given situation.
How we perceive a stress-provoking event and how we react to it determines its impact on our health. We may be motivated and invigorated by the events in our lives, or we may see some as "stressful" and respond in a manner that may have a negative effect on our physical, mental and social well-being. If we always respond in a negative way our health and happiness may suffer. By understanding ourselves and our reactions to stress-provoking situations, we can learn to handle stress more effectively.
